Papoo's Hot Dog Show

*update: this lil joint closed! sorry folks- read on to see what you missed...


As you can see from the posting date of this entry, Cory started it many weeks (months!?) ago. Yet, all he wrote was:

Alrighty, folks - today's (and when I say "today's" I really mean "several weeks ago's") mid-day adventure takes us to the world famous Papoo's Hot Dog Show in the heart of studioville.

Cory has recently made a number of LIFE-CHANGING-DECISIONS. Including deciding he wants to not work here as of sometime in MAY. Which means he will have to drive up here to Burbank to join me for lunch if he still wants to bite Burbank with me. But as you can see by his failure to complete this blog posting- even before he put in his notice at work, it may be a bit far-fetched to think he will continue to participate. In his head, he's already miles away... but hopefully we get a few more in before he leaves! Even if I have to be the main author on them.



SO! Yes. We did indeed eat at Papoo's Hot Dog Show. Cory's choice. He mentioned it long ago- and I always told him that if he could verify it was in Burbank, I'd go. It is a place I had definitely been curious about for years- it almost seemed like you would get in there and there wouldn't be hot dogs at all- just some weird left over name or set from a long time ago... but no. There were hot dogs. And there were top dogs. That's right. Me. And Cory, I guess.

The Basics:
Hot dogs are not the only thing on the menu, but they are certainly the star of The Show. You can, however get things like an Elk Burger or Grilled Pastrami Rueben if you are looking to eat a sandwich in a booth in a place with checkerboard floors and do not want a hot dog. There are many hot dog choices- covered with things like onions or chili or sauces. The dogs themselves can be ordered boiled, grilled, or deep fried. There are fries and other sides, and a variety of fountain drinks. Even a couple beers on tap. You can saunter up to the counter and get something to go (as a few people did while we were eating) or grab a booth and wait for your waitress. If you are like me, you should totally not go here- cause nothing on the menu is really great for a sensitive stomach. But if you are REALLY like me you will go here anyhow, in an ongoing attempt to make others think you are unstoppable. Dangerous. Badass. Woman (with terrible acid reflux and tendency for nausea) vs. Food (as long as it is not beef or any other spooky specialty meats, or has too many onions or cilantro and is not too fatty). I can't believe I don't have my own show.

And now for the hot dog show...



Alissa:
I know I am boring sometimes. There are just certain staples that I use to gauge a place's worth. If they pass that test, I might try something else the next time. If the staple dish is too good, I may never try anything but that & eat it over and over for years. Now that I am back in the Bacon Game, the BLT or any near relative of it is one of those staples (another example is mac & cheese- you know what I mean?). That is how I decided upon choosing the ABC dog here at Papoo's. That particular dog is loaded up with Avocado, Bacon and Cheese.



A white board boasted that they now had Turkey Dogs, so I chose one of those. Those only come grilled, so that's how it came. I did not get a side, but I pulled my classic move of getting a totally unnecessary drink and ordered a chocolate/coffee shake. I do this for you, you know. People of Burbank. So that if you want to just go out for a shake sometime- since this is 1955, you know where to do it.



Now there was certainly no lack of food. Let's get that straight- this dog was big. On a big bun. With lots of crispy bacon. As promised there was avocado, and 2 slices of American cheese melted over the whole deal. But not very melted. And I think that is where my issue began. I am from the San Francisco Bay Area- I have been told that this is why I do not like American Cheese. Cory is from Iowa and he sees no problem with it. In fact it is better for some things according to him. I am not a fan, nor do I think I was raised to properly appreciate this form of cheese- so usually I just feel annoyed if it shows up on something. I think menus should have to say it is that kind of cheese. But again, this is quite possibly a totally strange perspective. In any case, what I don't like about it is that it is rubbery and by the time it got to me, was not hot and therefore rubbery. Boom. The dog itself was fine, good, moist. But I think this sandwich as a whole is just too dry. Needs some sort of special sauce on it or something. Less dry bun. I think I could recreate this beautifully at home though. Don't get me wrong- I ate it. But I think it was missing a little LOVE. I also drank most of that milkshake, of course. It was good- in my opinion, if you jam ice cream, chocolate and coffee together, you're probably gonna do alright.



As far as the place went, I liked the setting. You feel like you are in a soda shoppe or something. You can play video games if you come with someone like Cory and you are totally bored of listening to him talk about how you are going to probably try to eat his fries. Our orders were correct, but the waitress didn't seem very excited about helping us decide what to order- seemed more fond of the regulars who were coming through, but our spirits aren't crushed that easily. I don't mind a little 'tude as long as I get a seat and my food (you can make that a little rap. try it. it's gonna be a huge hit.).



Cory:
Oh, look at me...I'm Alissa & I'm from Northern California. It's so fancy up there. I'm too good for American Cheese. In fact, I don't even LIKE America. I love cotton candy, disco, and the Taliban.
Well, listen sister - a fat animated man once spoke these words: "NO ONE MAKES CHEESE LIKE THE AMERICANS!" And he was right. NO.ONE.
Unfortunately, however, you are also right in this instance. That cheese was rubbery & funky. And it wasn't much better on my dog than it was on yours.



I opted for the namesake Show Dog & ordered it ripped, like me. It was topped w/ grilled spinach, bacon, and "swiss" cheese (american-made, presumably). It was pretty good, but woulda been infinitely better had they used actual swiss cheese & melted it instead of just kind of laying it limply across the top of the dog, hoping the heat from the spinach & bacon would melt it (it didn't). I also ordered steak fries; and yes I did assume Alissa would seize some for herself, but she pretty much steered clear of them for once. I'm assuming that's because her frydar indicated that they were a bit overcooked & yet still cold. Regardless, I slathered them with salt & ketchup & had my way with them. I washed it all down w/ a coke, which had just the kind of ice I like - small & crumbly.

Good bites? Or just totally bites?
A: If you want a dog and a soda, this is a good bet/bite. I probably won't go back because I totally don't care about hot dogs!

C: Uhh...I suppose I can call this a good bite. It didn't overwhelm me with awesomeness; but, like the lady said, it's good for a dog & a soda. I might opt for something cheeseless next time though...



Info:
4300 West Riverside Drive
Burbank, CA 91505
(818) 846-1511

**Our reports are based on one visit/meal- so we're far from experts on these joints! If you have advice or experiences you'd like to share, please feel free to enlighten us & our readers! Our goal is to give enough info that someone might feel okay trying somewhere new (or know to avoid it!). Thanks for reading :)

Frank's Coffee Shop & Restaurant

Today we went to Frank's Coffee Shop and Restaurant. This, I feel, rounds out our Diners-Along-Victory-Tour which has included such spots as Lancer's and The Tallyrand. Yes, not only were Cory and I able to somehow escape from our desks (finally) for lunch, but we had our first guest diners... avid supporters of Burbank Bites... my parents! Mr. and Mrs. Miss Alissa Senior. Thank you for joining us!



Graphically speaking (not the way Cory does, where he mentions the state of his bedsheets or what happens in the bathroom after he eats, but as pertaining to graphics) I like the signage at Frank's very much.



It is what caught my eye so many months ago when I was first entertaining the idea of lunchtime adventures. Big, bold, and classic. Neither of my parents or any of the much older walker-wielding visitors have any need to use glasses when attempting to read this sign even from a great distance, which I feel is very effective. I know it is hard to tell when I am joking- sometimes I have no idea if I am being sarcastic or if I am just a total bitch, but I am being serious. I like the sign. Signs catching our eyes is how Cory and I choose dining spots, so it is actually an important feature!



Anyhow we met up in the somewhat wet-from-rain parking lot and ventured in. As Cory and I explained to my dad that we did not need help deciding what to photograph, there was a decision to sit in a booth in the corner. I thought it was a little silly because there wasn't anyone in the whole place really except for a young dude next to whom we were about to sit. I completely forgot about him though, and I am just now realizing he was sitting on entirely the other side of the joint when we left. Smart guy. Sneaky too.





We mused over the menu for so long that the fellow serving us- who was a polite 20-something year old boy who was cool enough to offer to take our photo- not a lil old lady with a name tag- brought us the breakfast menus as well. But, by then we had actually decided. And bravely, with the power of the bravest and most finely crocheted symbol around guiding us, we each ordered from the not-breakfast menu!



The Basics:
It's a diner. They have some sandwiches, soups, salads and entrees involving various meats. I would argue that the most interesting entree involves sand dabs. Only because I don't really know what one of those guys looks like. I told Cory it was some sort of 'marine life.' Goddamnit I am looking it up right now....... Okay. Those guys are- well not very sexy. Whatever, no one got those so let's move on.



There is also a breakfast menu where you can pair about a million kinds of meat with eggs and potatoes and the like. You can have that stuff any time- I do like that option. At the end, thankfully, you can choose if you have room for pie.

Alissa:
Perhaps this is not adventurous, but I had the BLT. It was supposed to have A in there too, but there was a miscommunication. My mother ordered first and said she wanted a blat. This is not how it is listed so I think it send our waiter's mind for a spin. I would recommend saying ADD AVOCADO. I said 'I'll have what she's having' and then included 'add clam chowder,' which was white clam chowder. I also got me some coffee, since this is a coffee shop. First came the coffee and the soup.



I was starving by this point, and dove into that chowwdaahhh. And it was good. I didn't expect it to be anything special but I ate every bit. This week the Top Chef contestant who went home had undercooked potatoes in his soup, and I was thinking damnnn these potatoes are cooked perfectly. They were. Meanwhile, my mother announced that the coffee was terrible. I dunno. It seemed okay to me- tasted like diner coffee. I had vanilla creamer in there and probably wouldn't have considered it not being passable if she hadn't spoken up. My dad said the brand was in line with proper diner coffee and I think I am just going to stick with saying it was 'fine'.



My sandwich came and it looked fineish too. Coleslaw looked fine. Only sad part was the lack of avocado. I had totally forgotten and Ma didn't mention it until she was nearly done. That would have been a really nice element because the bacon was piecey and crumbly. You throw and avocado in there and it acts like a bacon magnet. This is the only way you can have a truly successful bacon bits sandwich- like the awesome one they have at Trails in Griffith Park. Did you know most of those lil bacon bit shakers are filled with soy based matter that is flavored like bacon unless they say 'made with real bacon'? Cool, right? Oh well. In any case it wasn't a BLT to die for. Pretty straight forward, but I think could have used a little more love. I don't like overly fancy BLTs but if you are gonna keep to the very basic elements you need to really pour love and attention into each ingredient. My mom later said 'there was NO bacon on the sandwich,' and for a sandwich that leads with a B, I'd say that is not a good review. I tried Mom's fries. They were the thick kind. I liked them fine- but I think Cory is suggesting I ALWAYS like the fries everywhere and basically eat 90 percent of his any time he orders them. F U, Cory!!!!



Meanwhile, my dad had a Reuben? I think his comment was: it had a lot of meat. But that was mostly as a counterpoint to my mom complaining about lack of meat.



He also got some berry pie, heated up and a la mode. The flavor was really nice actually but we both thought it was too soft- probably should have foregone the heating up.



When we left we spoke with a woman behind the counter. She was the mom of our waiter. My mother had made some hollering sound from the table, and he immediately appeared having sensed a mother calling. I see he is trained at work to respond to Mom, so it all made a lot of sense. On the counter she had another awesome American Flag blanket in production. Apparently she started making them after 9-11, and this one was a custom order. They take 100 hours to make!!! But hey- if you are looking at it and thinking I NEED THAT, it is not entirely out of the question that you could procure one. Insider's tip. You're welcome.

Cory:
After assimilating myself seamlessly into The Family of Miss Alissa, I examined the menu at length & opted for a tried & true favorite: the meatloaf. See, when I was a young Suddenly Cory, my mama used to make a mean meatloaf. A meatloaf I didn't come to fully appreciate until much later in life. A meatloaf I often attempt to imitate, but can't ever get quite right. A meatloaf that makes me try meatloaf at pretty much every restaurant that serves it.



I had envisioned a gloriously browned hunk of meat, topped with a tomato-based glaze. What I got instead was a few meager slices of loaf drowning in a sea of brown gravy & topped with mushrooms most foul. Alright, perhaps that's a little on the harsh side. The mushrooms were not at all "foul" (at least in comparison to other mushrooms), but I simply try to avoid them in most of my dinners; and the gravy was fine (just not what I expected). All this lay beside an artful pile of mashed potatoes.
After quickly getting over my initial bummed-outedness, I dug in. The meatloaf was decent. It may even have been spectacular, but there was really no way to tell with all that gravy masking the flavor. The pretty potatoes tasted just fine but, again, they were nothing to write home about. In the end, I even tried a few mushrooms. They were mushroomy so, if you like that sort of thing, here's where you can find em (though you better really like gravy too).



Oh! I nearly forgot...the soup. My meatloaf came with a cup of minestrone, which was actually quite good. It had a nice zesty broth with lots of flavor & the ingredients were fresh and tasty.
Once we were all finished, Alissa's father proudly displayed his flaccid carrot for all the restaurant to see. We were all suitably impressed.



Good bite? Or just totally bites?
A: Hmmm I dunno- sometimes I feel like my lack of love for meats keeps me from experiencing the more signature experience at some of these places. Who knows. I thought the soup rocked (homemade or canned, I have no idea) and the pie tasted somewhat bite-able. Sandwich I could take or leave and probably leave. If I could afford to have that nice lady crochet me an american flag blanket, I would because it would make an amazing gift. I'd stop in for coffee and pie if I had something to write/work on. I'd guess they get some people coming in to write. I don't know what show or movie I was watching lately- but Frank's was being passed off as a coffee shop in another state. But I assure you, it's in Burbank, California.

B: Wait, what's this??? I see that Alissa has given me the label of "B" today. No doubt it stands for BADASS, cuz that's totally what I am. I know this because both of her parents told me so. With their eyes. I'm, unfortunately, inclined to say this place simply Bites. I mean, it wasn't terrible, but it also just wasn't...hmmm...how do you say......"good." Were it not for the sparkling company I was keeping, it would have been a forgettable experience.

A: THAT IS WHAT I GET FOR WRITING FAST. I guess I can't change it now. Please enjoy this glamorous photo of me n good ol' "B". You probably thought we were the same person, as we are never photographed together. No, he is not a midget, I am a giant.



And here is proof my mother is very nice, as there is no way something Cory said could have been funny enough to cause this reaction without some acting on her part. You're a real sport, Ma!



Info:
916 West Olive Avenue
Burbank, CA 91506-2210
(818) 845-2216

**Our reports are based on one visit/meal- so we're far from experts on these joints! If you have advice or experiences you'd like to share, please feel free to enlighten us & our readers! Our goal is to give enough info that someone might feel okay trying somewhere new (or know to avoid it!). Thanks for reading :)

Illness Strikes Burbank!

Ughhhhhh. So. Cory and I have been totally sick. Possibly both with some flu, but mine was the barfmania/fever/pains/chills thing where I could not leave my bed & Cory has been coughing and hacking and fevering. That was last week and I am still having a hard time eating. Cory just had to get some shot of medicine or something. I finally have gotten un-dehydrated enough that I don't wake up feeling like I'd had a bottle of vodka before bed. Maybe I would have felt better sooner, but I was made to go to work the very next day after my barffest- even though it was the most violent flu I've had since childhood. Cool right? Totally! So... last week's Burbank Bite was basically ALBERTSONS. At Verdugo and Hollywood Way. Because that is on the way to/from work.



Ehemmm... I recommend their brand of ready to eat chicken soup over the Campbell's condensed. And as far as Gatorade goes- I recommend the blue ones. I didn't know there was a low calorie one until yesterday... but if you are going to drink 2 large bottles of Gatorade every day in an attempt to regain hydration, then it's probably a good idea not to go bananas on sugar. Mmmmm. Bananas.

If Cory can swallow foods, we will go this week and get a post up for you next week. But if we're both sick, maybe you are too. So rest up. And get ready for us to get back on track.

No, I did not take that photo of Albertsons BUT it is the right one!

And YES. Being sick totally bites.

La Bamba

As you might guess, Cory and I have been super swamped at work. Mostly eating over our keyboards. I saw Cory eat in the kitchen one day actually, which I have never seen before. It was only because the paint fumes in our suite were so strong that we were all dizzy and gagging. If I hadn't already felt like fainting, I would have fainted from seeing Cory eat in the kitchen. Anyhow, I can say quite assuredly that it bites eating at our desks. So, there's that.

Anyhow- this adventure took us to a place called LA BAMBA. Cory chose this place- I don't know how we got to where we are choosing the places that the other person will have to write about, but personally I would like to turn that around. I like to write about my own success or failure in selection. In this case, Cory's selection was based on seeing a sign outside this joint that read:

We're a restaurant! Try us! We don't want to close!


Cory- kindhearted Cory came back and told me we were going to help save this restaurant. And when we finally got a chance, there we went to try them.


Upon initial viewing I thought DANGGGG that patio looks great! This place looks festive! And also- What a weird place for a restaurant in this residential neighborhood! Perhaps, I thought, that was why there was an attendance issue- as it sort of blends in with the homes. It very well could be, but ultimately I think Cory and I had to agree... that might not be the only reason.

The Basics:
The food at La Bamba is basically "island" or "Carribean" cuisine. This means lots of ajillo. You know- GARLIC. It also means lots of seafood, beans, rice, fries and even yuca and plantains. They have a big list of soft drinks, beer + wine. Liquids a-plenty. The seating is on a covered patio- so grab a table and watch cars cruise through the neighborhood. ?


Alissa:
Uhhhh what the hell did I get? This is why I need to write my report right after I go. Let me look at the menu... Okay. I think I got a Garlic Avocado Shrimp burrito. That sounds right. Anyhow, it had everything it said it was going to have in it- shrimp in garlic sauce, diced avocado, cheese, rice but hold the pico de gallo. All in a flour tortilla. I think partially the reason I forget is because I tried to forget.

I admit it- I was disappointed. I really tried to enjoy it- but the shrimp was not really my fave, and there was cilantro stuck with the avocado or in the sauce, and the whole thing just sort of opened up and limply fell apart in front of me.

I tried to eat it with a fork- but then got disheartened and just quit. I supplemented my meal by stealing garlic fries from Cory... but god they just had so much chunks of garlic. So much chunks. My mouth was suddenly just an unholy hole of stinky garlic. You know how sometimes the garlicky thing was so good you are like... proud of your breath? Well I just felt shame. 13 dollar fall-apart-burrito shame.

The only thing saving me here from disappointment and burning mouth was a TWO DOLLA BUDWEISER! Which I guess is available at that price always. That is great. And the patio is pretty great. I bet it looks really nice with those lil lights on when the sun starts going down. Ambiance CITY.

I mean... if you are within walking distance this would be the BOMB - I mean- LA BAMBA. Wait. No. La BOMBA. That pun works better out loud. Sorry. Anyhow- 1.95 beer. Yeah. I was at El Cid in Silverlake last week and Budweisers are SEVEN DOLLARS. God. How could you purposely drink a Bud for 7 dollars. 2 dollars? Okay. Yes. That has hints of sanity.


Cory:
You know...I was really really really REALLY ready to love this place the moment I accidentally stumbled across it while driving aimlessly around Burbank. Sure it was in a bizarre location, but it looked quaint. It even looked like it had the potential to be fairly festive.

And, considering that it specialized in Mexican-ish food, I could only assume that it would at least be decent. I mean, how hard could it possibly be to make a decent burrito? Well, as Alissa already mentioned, it's apparently next to impossible for these guys. Her burrito managed to rapidly unravel right in front of my very eyes, distracting me from enjoying the terrible carne asada grilled cheese I'd ordered.

Yes, I said carne asada grilled cheese. Sounds good, right? Nay, sounds GREAT! Well, it wasn't. It was strangely seasoned - a little too sweet & tangy, and way too tough for my teeths.

I actually had to add all the cilantro-laden salsa (which was actually AWESOME, btw) & cholula within arms reach just to make it palatable. I'd write more for you about this, but it honestly doesn't deserve the wear & tear my fingertips have already given it...

Thankfully, the crappiness was quelled by the wonderful $1.95 Bud Lights.
There. I'm done. Sorry this was crappy, but so was the food.

Good bite? Or just totally bites?
A: Uhhhh well. I guess there could be amazing things on the menu. But they are not the thing I ordered. I would give this a 'Good place to sip a 2 dollar beer on a patio.' And our waitress was really nice.

C: Boooooo! If you can't build a burrito that won't completely unravel & fall to pieces onto the plates of you patrons, maybe you don't deserve to be a restaurant! Or, at the very least, you should take burritos off them menu. And, if that's not an option, how about putting some food that actually tastes good inside there? Skip the food, drink the beer. Maybe they'll get the hint & either step up the food or just become a bar. A bar that I'd totally hang out at, btw...


Info:
2600 North Glenoaks Boulevard
Burbank, CA 91504
(818) 846-3358

Sexy Cory Pose
**Our reports are based on one visit/meal- so we're far from experts on these joints! If you have advice or experiences you'd like to share, please feel free to enlighten us & our readers! Our goal is to give enough info that someone might feel okay trying somewhere new (or know to avoid it!). Thanks for reading :)

Handy Market (a quickie)

Okay, okay, I know this is supposed to be a lunch blog and, to be fair, I did have an Italian sub f/ their deli (which was good), but this post is more about their meat selection. Holy Hell, this place is AWESOME. While I was standing around waiting for my sandwich, I became completely mesmerized by the mountains of meat they had on display. Good stuff too. No, most likely GREAT stuff. And at great prices. 85/15 ground beef for $3.99/lb. 93/7 for $4.99/lb. Sweet t-bones, porterhouse, & new york steaks all for around $10/lb. All USDA Choice (no prime that I saw, but I'll ask about it next time I'm in there). Best of all - this week's special - GIGANTIC really well-marbled Spencer ribeye for $6.99/lb! And these things really were huge. Like, solid 3" cuts. You can't get this stuff at Vons. Hell, you can barely get it at Whole Foods or Bristol Farms (where it's way more $$$).
Next time I'm in there for a lunch, I plan on grabbing a couple steaks, tossing them in the freezer at work for the afternoon, and drivin' em home to the cozy warmth of the grill.
So, go for the decent sandwiches and, while you're there, pick up some steaks for dinner. Methinks you won't be sorry.



Apparently, they also have a BBQ in the parking lot on Saturdays. I try my hardest not to be up here on the weekends, so I'll probably never experience it. It gets rave reviews though. Check it out & let us know what you think!

Also - I didn't intend on turning this into any kind of post today, so I didn't have my camera (and I'd left my phone at the office). The pics on here were lifted f/ their website.

Info:
2514 West Magnolia Boulevard
Burbank, CA 91505-3029
(818) 848-2500
Open Daily 7:30am-8:30pm
http://www.burbankshandymarket.com/